By Forum Staff
Howard Beach residents are collecting school supplies, along with personal care items and toys, to pack in shoeboxes which will be donated to Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, which will deliver the gift-filled packages to children in more than 100 countries.
For many children, access to these simple items is essential to an education, according to Samaritan’s Purse. This was the case for Justin Thomas, a shoebox recipient in Southeast Asia whose parents could not afford the supplies needed for school. Thomas remembers the specific day he received a gift-filled shoebox from Operation Christmas Child and found it filled with toys and most exciting to him—school supplies.
Photo Courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse
For many children, access to these simple items is essential to an education.
Growing up with hand-me-down clothes and used items, Thomas used to write with a pencil so short that he held it using a pen cap. Having an entire packet of new pencils and a pencil sharpener all his own was a treasure to him. Samaritan’s Purse noted that the simple gift had a life-changing impact on Thomas because it opened the doors for him to receive an education.
For more information, visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. National Collection Week is Nov. 13-20. Participants can donate $10 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination. Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender, then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement.
